‘Ecofeminism and the
Gendered Politics of
Consumption’
Socialist Feminist Day School
Christchurch
26th April 2014
Sionainn Byrnes
1. Focus Questions
1. Focus Questions
-
What’s the worst thing you can call a
woman?
1. Focus Questions
-
What’s the worst thing you can call a
woman?
-
What are some of the colloquial terms used
to describe a woman’s body?
1. Focus Questions
-
What’s the worst thing you can call a
woman?
-
What are some of the colloquial terms used
to describe a woman’s body?
Invectives and Colloquialisms Function
According to 3 Types of Logic:
Invectives and Colloquialisms Function
According to 3 Types of Logic:
-
‘Animalized Slurs/Not a Human’
The B Word, The P Word, The C Word
Invectives and Colloquialisms Function
According to 3 Types of Logic:
-
‘Animalized Slurs/Not a Human’
The B Word, The P Word, The C Word
-
‘Not Masculine/Not a Man’
Feminist(!?)
Invectives and Colloquialisms Function
According to 3 Types of Logic:
-
‘Animalized Slurs/Not a Human’
The B Word, The P Word, The C Word
-
‘Not Masculine/Not a Man’
Feminist(!?)
-
‘Pejorative Reference to Sexuality/the Body’
Immodestly Sexual, Emotional, Hysterical, Anything
Menstrual
2. Ecofeminism
2. Ecofeminism
-
Rooted in Second Wave
Feminism, though more
closely associated with
critical theory
2. Ecofeminism
-
Rooted in Second Wave
Feminism, though more
closely associated with
critical theory
-
Intersectionality = tied or
shared oppressions
2. Ecofeminism
-
Rooted in Second Wave
Feminism, though more
closely associated with
critical theory
-
Intersectionality = tied or
shared oppressions
-
Identifies (and to some
extent embraces) the
historical, metaphorical,
and performative
interrelationships
between femininity and
nonhuman nature
“Drawing on the insights of ecology, feminism, and socialism,
ecofeminism’s basic premise is that the ideology which
authorizes oppressions such as those based on race, class,
gender, sexuality, physical abilities, and species is the same
ideology which sanctions the oppression of nature.
Ecofeminism calls for an end to all oppressions, arguing that
no attempt to liberate women (or any other oppressed group)
will be successful without an equal attempt to liberate nature.
Its theoretical base is a sense of self most commonly
expressed by women and various other nondominant groups
– a self that is interconnected with all life.”
-- Gaard (1993)
“Drawing on the insights of ecology,
feminism, and
socialism, ecofeminism’s basic premise is that the ideology
which authorizes oppressions such as those based on race,
class, gender, sexuality, physical abilities, and species is the
same ideology which sanctions the oppression of nature.
Ecofeminism calls for an end to all oppressions, arguing that
no attempt to liberate women (or any other oppressed group)
will be successful without an equal attempt to liberate nature.
Its theoretical base is a sense of self most commonly
expressed by women and various other nondominant groups
– a self that is interconnected with all life.”
-- Gaard (1993)
“Drawing on the insights of ecology, feminism, and socialism,
ecofeminism’s basic premise is that the
ideology which
authorizes oppressions such as those based on race,
class,
gender, sexuality, physical abilities, and
species is the same ideology which sanctions the
oppression of nature. Ecofeminism calls for an end to all
oppressions, arguing that no attempt to liberate women (or
any other oppressed group) will be successful without an
equal attempt to liberate nature. Its theoretical base is a sense
of self most commonly expressed by women and various other
nondominant groups – a self that is interconnected with all
life.”
-- Gaard (1993)
“Drawing on the insights of ecology, feminism, and socialism,
ecofeminism’s basic premise is that the ideology which
authorizes oppressions such as those based on race, class,
gender, sexuality, physical abilities, and species is the same
ideology which sanctions the oppression of nature.
Ecofeminism calls for an end to all oppressions, arguing that
no attempt to liberate women (or any other oppressed group)
will be successful without an equal attempt to liberate nature.
Its theoretical base is a sense of self most commonly
expressed by women and various other nondominant groups
–a
self that is interconnected with all life.”
-- Gaard (1993)
3. Metanarratives
3. Metanarratives
-
Towards a Definition of Humanity
3. Metanarratives
-
Towards a Definition of Humanity
-
Human/Animal and Culture/Nature
3. Metanarratives
-
Towards a Definition of Humanity
-
Human/Animal and Culture/Nature
-
Self/Other = Privileged Terms and
Degraded Terms
3. Metanarratives
-
Towards a Definition of Humanity
-
Human/Animal and Culture/Nature
-
Self/Other = Privileged Terms and
Degraded Terms
-
The Ontological ‘I’
3. Metanarratives
-
Towards a Definition of Humanity
-
Human/Animal and Culture/Nature
-
Self/Other = Privileged Terms and
Degraded Terms
-
The Ontological ‘I’
-
Progress necessitates/is predicated on
domination
3. Metanarratives
-
Towards a Definition of Humanity
-
Human/Animal and Culture/Nature
-
Self/Other = Privileged Terms and
Degraded Terms
-
The Ontological ‘I’
-
Progress necessitates/is predicated on
domination
-
Ecofeminism deconstructs metanarratives
and challenges binaries
“The major attack against ecofeminism,
however, has been that it allegedly claims
that women possess an essential nature –
a biological connection or a spiritual
affinity with nature that men do not.”
“The major attack against ecofeminism,
however, has been that it allegedly claims
that women possess an essential nature –
a biological connection or a spiritual
affinity with nature that men do not.”
“The very idea of one group of persons
being ‘closer to nature’ than another is a
‘construct of culture.’ ”
-- Birkeland 1993
“The major attack against ecofeminism,
however, has been that it allegedly claims
that women possess an essential nature –
a biological connection or a spiritual
affinity with nature that men do not.”
“The very idea of one group of persons
being ‘closer to nature’ than another is a
‘construct of culture.’ ”
-- Birkeland 1993
4. Binaries/Dichotomies
4. Binaries/Dichotomies
-
Self/Other, Subject/Object, Man/Woman,
Human/Animal, Culture/Nature
4. Binaries/Dichotomies
-
Self/Other, Subject/Object, Man/Woman,
Human/Animal, Culture/Nature
-
Epistemological Precedent by which all
other qualities and behaviours are valued/
negatively constituted
4. Binaries/Dichotomies
-
Self/Other, Subject/Object, Man/Woman,
Human/Animal, Culture/Nature
-
Epistemological Precedent by which all
other qualities and behaviours are valued/
negatively constituted
-
Historic associations different for white
women (pure, benevolent) and women of
colour (animalized, fetishized, wild) Invokes other binaries like virgin/whore
5. Intersecting Oppressions
5. Intersecting Oppressions
- P.E.T.A (People for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals)
5. Intersecting Oppressions
- P.E.T.A (People for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals)
-
Micro-aggressions stem from failure to
understand and critically engage with
intersectionality, thus perpetuating a
broader scheme of oppression
5. Intersecting Oppressions
- P.E.T.A (People for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals)
-
Micro-aggressions stem from failure to
understand and critically engage with
intersectionality, thus perpetuating a
broader scheme of oppression
-
P.E.T.A advertisements necessarily work
within the parameters of a capitalist
society
5a. Contemporary Feminist Issues
5a. Contemporary Feminist Issues
-
Rape Culture
5a. Contemporary Feminist Issues
-
Rape Culture
-
Commodification of Female Bodies
5a. Contemporary Feminist Issues
-
Rape Culture
-
Commodification of Female Bodies
-
Reproductive Rights
5b. Animal Welfare
5b. Animal Welfare
-
Industrial Meat Production/Consumption
5b. Animal Welfare
-
Industrial Meat Production/Consumption
-
Meat Packaging
5b. Animal Welfare
-
Industrial Meat Production/Consumption
-
Meat Packaging
-
Exploitation of Female Bodies
6. Shared Sites of Oppression
6. Shared Sites of Oppression
6. Shared Sites of Oppression
Systematic
Oppression of
Women and
Others
6. Shared Sites of Oppression
Systematic
Oppression of
Women and
Others
Systematic
Oppression of
Nonhuman
Nature
6. Shared Sites of Oppression
Systematic
Oppression of
Women and
Others
Intersecting
Oppressions
in Practice
Systematic
Oppression of
Nonhuman
Nature
6. Shared Sites of Oppression
6. Shared Sites of Oppression
-
Colonization of ‘Virgin’ Landscapes
6. Shared Sites of Oppression
-
Colonization of ‘Virgin’ Landscapes
-
Domestic Violence
6. Shared Sites of Oppression
-
Colonization of ‘Virgin’ Landscapes
-
Domestic Violence
-
Industrial Working Conditions
Blood, Sweat, and Fear: Workers’
Rights in U.S. Meat and Poultry Plants
Blood, Sweat, and Fear: Workers’
Rights in U.S. Meat and Poultry Plants
-
Limb Loss
Blood, Sweat, and Fear: Workers’
Rights in U.S. Meat and Poultry Plants
-
Limb Loss
-
RSI
Blood, Sweat, and Fear: Workers’
Rights in U.S. Meat and Poultry Plants
-
Limb Loss
-
RSI
-
Workers’ Organization Disincentivized/
Claims Delayed
Blood, Sweat, and Fear: Workers’
Rights in U.S. Meat and Poultry Plants
-
Limb Loss
-
RSI
-
Workers’ Organization Disincentivized/
Claims Delayed
-
Migrant Workers
6. Shared Sites of Oppression
-
Colonization of ‘Virgin’ Landscapes
-
Domestic Violence
-
Industrial Working Conditions
-
Cosmetics Industry
6. Shared Sites of Oppression
-
Colonization of ‘Virgin’ Landscapes
-
Domestic Violence
-
Industrial Working Conditions
-
Cosmetics Industry
-
Environmental Degradation
6. Shared Sites of Oppression
-
Colonization of ‘Virgin’ Landscapes
-
Domestic Violence
-
Industrial Working Conditions
-
Cosmetics Industry
-
Environmental Degradation
-
Racism
6. Shared Sites of Oppression
-
Colonization of ‘Virgin’ Landscapes
-
Domestic Violence
-
Industrial Working Conditions
-
Cosmetics Industry
-
Environmental Degradation
-
Racism
-
Pornography
6. Shared Sites of Oppression
-
Colonization of ‘Virgin’ Landscapes
-
Domestic Violence
-
Industrial Working Conditions
-
Cosmetics Industry
-
Environmental Degradation
-
Racism
-
Pornography
-
LGBQT+
6. Shared Sites of Oppression
-
Colonization of ‘Virgin’ Landscapes
-
Domestic Violence
-
Industrial Working Conditions
-
Cosmetics Industry
-
Environmental Degradation
-
Racism
-
Pornography
-
LGBQT+
-
Commodification of Menstrual Cycle and
Disposal of Sanitary Items
7. Challenging Metanarratives
7. Challenging Metanarratives
-
According to Poststructuralism/Critical
Theory, Theory is Practice
7. Challenging Metanarratives
-
According to Poststructuralism/Critical
Theory, Theory is Practice
-
Theory and Practice another binary?
7. Challenging Metanarratives
-
According to Poststructuralism/Critical
Theory, Theory is Practice.
-
Theory and Practice another binary?
-
Is it enough to think differently? What
about real life?
7. Challenging Metanarratives
-
According to Poststructuralism/Critical
Theory, Theory is Practice.
-
Theory and Practice another binary?
-
Is it enough to think differently? What
about real life?
-
What kind of worlds/forms of social
organization can we envision and enact by
challenging these metanarratives?
9. Discussion
- Is ecofeminism theoretically/practically viable? Thoughts?
Critiques?
- Should all feminists be environmentally active/conscious?
Should all environmentalists be feminists?
- Is ecofeminism too Eurocentric? Does it apply outside of
Western culture?
- Can we consume animals in an egalitarian society? Is ethical
consumption accessible to everyone?
- Would our values change if we thought of humans in nature,
rather than the binary humans and nature?
- Is it okay to use words like The B Word etc.? Can we
successfully hijack them, or do they need to be avoided?
- How will advances in technology affect these dynamics?